Means for molding wax crayons and the like



Jan. 26, 1965 A. E. GOLDFARB 3,166,792

MEANS FOR MOLDING WAX CRAYONS AND THE LIKE Filed March 3, 1961 ADOLPH E. GOLDFARB,

INVEN TOR.

wma

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,166,792 MEANS FOR MULDING WAX CRAYUNS AND THE LIKE Adolph E. Goldfarh, 7427 Varna St, North Hollywood, Calif. Filed Mar. 3, 1%1, Ser. No. 93,080 7 Claims. (Cl. 18-28) This invention relates to molds and more particularly to a new and improved means for molding wax crayons and the like in which the mold is entirely or partially pliant and flexible and useable by children or others for making crayons in do-it-yourself kits or projects.

This invention provides a new and improved mold adapted to receive molten material such as wax, or the like, which is pre-colored in any desired hue of a color before pouring into the mold. The mold body is preferably made of an elastomeric material and includes an intermediate cylindrical portion in which the crayon body itself is formed, an enlarged flared open end serving as a filling spout and a reduced open end at the bottom thereof defining a bubble trap. A removable closure means is insertable in the reduced open end for selectively closing and openingthe open end. The pre-colored wax is poured into the mold through the pouring spout. The pouring spout also forms a conical extension to the crayon to provide excess material for accommodating shrinkage and to form a hand grip when extracting the finished and hardened crayon from the mold.

A feature of this invention is the provision of the hubble trap at the base of the mold, thus producing a bubblefree and solid crayon. During the pouring, the closure means in inserted into the reduced open end, thereby forming an area in which the bubbles are trapped below the actual crayon. This closure means is removed to break the vacuum within the .mold when the crayon is extracted from the mold.

Another important feature of this invention is the provision for flexibility and pliability of the flared open end by which the flared end may be peeled back over the mold after the crayon has hardened to expose the conical extension formed at the upper end for gripping thereof to facilitate extraction of the finished crayon from the mold. A pair of tabs aresecured. to or integrally formed with the exterior of the mold to form a convenient grip for holding the mold while the crayon is being extracted.

This invention further provides improved coloring means in which a concentrated color in tablet form. is provided and sectionable by use of portions thereof. The tablet includes a symmetrical body having a powdered oil-soluble dye suspended in a selected thermo-v plastic binder material soluble in a selected thermo-molten material. "For use in molten wax, the binder is a wax material so as to be compatible with the molten wax material. i

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a new and improved mold for wax crayons and the like in which wax crayons of selected hues of colors may be easily and readily molded.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mold which contains its own pouring spout, the spout providing means for holding excess wax to accommodate shrinkage during setting thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mold in which the pouring spout forms means on the finished product for facilitating extraction of the finished crayon out of the mold and flange means for weakening the finished crayon at the junction of the crayon and the excess wax for facilitating breaking off the excess from the crayon itself after removal frornthe mold.

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A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mold of the character described which provides a bubble chamber in which bubbles formed in the molten wax are trapped before hardening of the wax.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mold having means integral'therewith for facilitating supporting the crayon either manually or as on a support rack.

An important object of this invention is to provide new and improved means for removing the finished product from the mold.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mold of the character described which is economical to manufacture and capable of mass production. I

A general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mold of the character described which overcomes disadvantages of prior means and methods heretofore intended to accomplish similar purposes.

These and other objects of this'invention will be more apparent from the following drawings, description and appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view as taken substantially through the center of the mold of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view, in elevation, of an object formed within the mold after setting and removal therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a side view, in elevation, of the finished product when excess parts have been removed therefrom;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, with parts broken away for clarity, illustrating a holding and cooling means for the mold of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, in elevation, illustrating a coloring means constructed in accordance with this invention. 7

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown by way of illustration, but not of limitation, a mold designed and constructed in accordance with this invention and generally designated by the numeral 10. The r'nold 10 is herein illustrated as being adapted to form wax cray ons although it is to be understood that other objects may be molded therein with suitable modifications made as determined by the configuration of the object.

The mold 10, herein illustrated, comprises a tubular body 11 of elastomeric material, such as rubber, neoprene, plastics, or the like. The interior of the body defines an elongated cavity 12 having an outwardly flared open end 13, a reduced open end 14 and an intermediate portion 16 of substantially constant diameter.

The wall 17 surrounding the intermediate portion-15 and the reduced portion 14 is preferably relatively thick and relatively rigid Whereas the wall portion 18 surrounding the flared open end 13 is relatively thin and therefore relatively pliant and flexible.

To form a crayon, a conical portion 19 preferably connects the intermediate portion 16 and the reduced open end 14, thereby forming a conical tip 21 on a crayon 22 as is normally associated therewith I A closure means 23 in the form of a plug having a reduced shank portion 24 insertable in the open end 14 and a manually engageable enlarged head 26 is providedfor selectively opening and closing the'open end 14, for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

An elongated chamber 27 is preferably formed connect- A ing the conical portion'19 and the open end 14 and forms t a bubble trap draining the molten material forming the The flared portion 13 defines a filling spout in which the molten wax is received when the mold is being filled. An outwardly extending annular flange 29 is preferably secured to form integrally with the open flared end 13 to provide support means for the mold. The mold may be supported either manually or by a rack 3.1 illustrated in FIG. 4 for convenience during filling of the mold and cooling of the material therein.

The flared end further forms a conical chamber for excess wax material to provide for the shrinkage of the material. .It' iswell' known that wax shrinks substantially while cooling. .The excess wax in the flared end l3 may settle by gravity to provide excess wax to the main portion of the crayon as it shrinks during cooling.

An imp'ortantfeatur'e of this invention is in providing pliancy to the body of the mold, particularly of the wall 18. Upon cooling of the wax, an enlarged head 32 formed inthe spout, may be exposed by peeling the wall 18 away from the head 32 as indicated by the dotted line to facilitate extraction of the formed material from the mold. The head 32 may be gripped manually for pulling the cooled material from the mold. One or more outwardly extending tabs 33 are preferably provided on a lower portion of the body 11 to facilitate gripping of the mold when extracting the hardened and formed crayon. The mold wall portion 17, although being relatively rigid in comparison to the wall 18, is nonetheless compressible and gripping of the body 11 at the intermediate portion would tendto'clamp the hardened crayon within the mold. For this reason, the tabs 33 may be gripped by the finger of the other hand of a .user while the enlarged head 32 is pulledoutwardly of the mold to extract the crayon without collapsingthe body portion 17.

During extraction of the hardened crayon, the closure means 23 is removed from the open end 14, thus communicating the passage 27 with the exterior of the mold and breaking vacuum which would tend to retain the crayon within the mold, thus further facilitating removal of the crayon An inwardly extending annular flange 34 is preferably formed on the interior of the body 11 and at the junction of the fiar'ed open end 13 and the intermediate portion in. thus forming an inwardly extending annular groove 36 in the finished product 28. This groove weakens the product atfthe junction to facilitate breaking off of the enlarged head 32. Of course, it is obvious that the annular flange 34 willbe upset sufficiently to permit withdrawal of the finished, product 28 when the wall 18 is peeled away from the head 32*. Anyexcess material such as is indicated by the num ral-37 which may extend into the chamber 2'7 may alsobe easily broken off to form a finished crayon '28 illustrated at 28 in FIG. 3

.may extend through the holes 39; optionally, slots (not shown) may be provided for clearance therewith. The

racks 31 may be supported as on a tank 40 inwhich a cooling fluid 41 like Water may be disposed for contact withthe molds 16 for coolingthereof. in this manner,

the molds are supported with jtheir open ends 13 available for pouring molten wax therein and are cooled by the fluid 41 within the tank. f-"Referring to FIG. 5, a new and'improved means for "coloring the molten wax is illustrated and referred to generally by the numeral 45. The means 45 comprises a symmetrical body 46, herein shown as being cylindrical an d of tablet form. One or more cross-grooves 47 are 'for'medon one face 48 of the tablet 46 and dividing the tablet into equal sections. In this manner, the tablet i6 may be manually or otherwise broken into equal sections for use in coloring the molten wax.

The body 4-6 comprises a super-saturated mixture of an oil soluble dye and Wax, pressed, cast, extruded, or otherwise formed in the tablet form. The oil soluble dye, in dry powder form, is mixed with a molten wax to a saturation point of the wax. VJhen cooled to a plastic state, the mixture is formed into the disc-like tablet before hardening thereof. The tablet, as previously mentioned, is preferably formed by casting or pressing whereby crossgrooves 47 may be formed on the one face 43 there-c t to facilitate breaking thereof into smaller equal particles, such as quarters, halves, or the like. The wax acts as a binder in the tablet, providing a binder which is compatible to the solution, molten wax, in which it is to be used.

The tablets provide a means for coloring molten wax to be used in the mold which is not as messy and hard to handle as dye in dry powder form. A dye in liquid form requires a solvent which would be incompatible with the molten wax; and if used must be evaporated, producing an objectionable odor which could be toxic or harmful. If a mineral oil is used to make the dye liquid, it has an objection-able effect on the Wax in altering the hard ness thereof.

In use, the entire tablet or sections broken off therefrom are dropped into the molten uncolored wax to dye the molten wax to a desired hue of color, after which the colored molten wax is poured into the mold. Also sections in selective quantities of selective colors may be mixed to form desired colors and selective quantities of each individual primary color used to form desired hues of the colors. in this manner, various colors and hues of colors may be formed as desired.

In this manner, this invention provides a new and improved means and method for molding wax crayons and the like which enables children to easily and readily make improved home-made wax crayons in a desired color and hue of color without difiiculty and the usual mess and crude appearance normally associated with home-made products. The mold itself is easily filled with a molten wax and after cooling, the end product readily removed therefrom and neatly trimmed. The coloring is easily, safely and accurately achieved by the addition of precise portions of a concentrated coloring tablet to the molten wax which can be readily subsequently duplicated if desired.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be afforded the full scope of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mold for Wax crayons and the like, comprising a cylindrical body of elastomeric material, said body having a relatively rigid intermediate portion of predetermined configuration and adapted to form an object when molten material is poured therein, a relatively-pliant, outwardlyflared, open end defining a filling spout and adapted to form an enlarged conical extension on the formed 'object, and a reduced open end; and removable closure means in said reduced open end for selectively closing and opening said reduced open end, said flared end being peelable back over said intermediate portion for exposing the conical extension after hardening of the molten material for manual gripping thereof to remove the formed object from said body, and said closure means being removable from said reduced end for breaking the vacuum inside said body during removal of said object.

extending flange means in said body at the junction of said flared and intermediate portions whereby aweakened annular groove is formed in said object for facilitating breaking 01f of said conical extension from said formed object subsequent to removal of said object from said mold.

3. A mold as defined in claim 1, including an outwardly extending annular flange adjacent to said flared open end.

4. A mold as defined in claim 1, including relativelyrigid tab means on said body and extending outwardly therefrom.

5. A mold for wax crayons and the like, comprising: a cylindrical body of elastomeric material adapted to receive a mixture of molten wax therein, said body having a relatively-thin walled, pliant, outwardly-flared open end, a reduced opposite open end and a relativelythick walled, relatively-rigid intermediate portion; and removable closure means removably closing said opposite open end, said flared end being adapted to form an enlarged conical extension on the object formed in said body and being peelable back over said intermediate portion for exposing said conical extension for manual gripping thereof to remove the object from the body, said closure means being removable from said reduced end for breaking vacuum inside said body during removal of said object.

6. A mold for wax crayons and the like, comprising: a cylindrical body of elastomeric material; means defining a cavity in said body and including an object-forming portion; an enlarged pouring portion adjacent to one end of said body; a reduced portion at the other end of said body, said body being adapted to receive a thermoplastic material for forming thereof, the object being formed in said object-forming portion, an extension thereof being formed in said enlarged pouring portion and air bubbles being trapped in said reduced portion; means defining a passageway communicating between said reduced portion and the exterior of said body; and removable closure means for selectively opening and closing said passageway, said passageway being closed during filling of said body and open after setting of said thermoplastic material for breaking vacuum in said body and facilitating removal of said object. 7. A mold as defined in claim 6, wherein said body portion defining an enlarged pouring portion is pliant and peelable back over said object forming portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 209,154 Bill Oct. 22, 1878 806,973 Horman Dec. 12, 1905 1,123,667 Blanchard Jan. 5, 1915 1,521,552 Farrell Dec. 30, 1924 2,103,237 Deckert Dec. 28, 1937 2,275,154 Merrill et a1 Mar. 3, 1942 2,331,572 Scherer Oct. 12, 1943 2,363,306 Fiske Nov. 21, 1944 2,660,776 Miller Dec. 1, 1953 2,835,600 Zgraggen May 20, 1958 J 2,875,762 Middleton et a1. Mar. 3, 1959 2,919,993 Maxey Jan. 5, 1960 2,941,256 Stoerker June 21, 1960 3,064,309 Steinbock et a1 Nov. 20, 1962 

1. A MOLD FOR WAX CRAYONS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL BODY OF ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL, SAID BODY HAVING A RELATIVELY RIGID INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF PREDETERMINED CONFIGURATION AND ADAPTED TO FORM AN OBJECT WHEN MOLTEN MATERIAL IS POURED THEREIN, A RELATIVELY-PLIANT, OUTWARDLYFLARED, OPEN END DEFINING A FILLING SPOUT AND ADAPTED TO FORM AN ENLARGED CONICAL EXTENSION ON THE FORMED OBJECT, AND A REDUCED OPEN END; AND REMOVABLE CLOSURE MEANS IN SAID REDUCED OPEN END FOR SELECTIVELY CLOSING AND OPENING SAID REDUCED OPEN END, SAID FLARED END BEING PEELABLE BACK OVER SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION FOR EXPOSING THE CONCIAL EXTENSION AFTER HARDENING OF THE MOLTEN MATERIAL FOR MANUAL GRIPPING THEREOF TO REMOVE THE FORMED OBJECT FROM SAID BODY, AND SAID CLOSURE MEANS BEING REMOVABLE FROM SAID REDUCED END FOR BREAKING THE VACUUM INSIDE SAID BODY DURING REMOVAL OF SAID OBJECT. 